


take it in your heart

by cupcabriel



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bad Horror Movies, M/M, very oblivious boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 20:48:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10975053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupcabriel/pseuds/cupcabriel
Summary: harry is new and awkward and louis is not new and popular and both share a passion for so-bad-they're-good horror films





	take it in your heart

**Author's Note:**

> ummm, so!!!  
> this is the first time i'm publishing something!  
> i had tons of fun writing this and even though i love to read angst i am only capable of writing soft fluff??  
> the title is from the song andromeda by the gorillaz  
> big shoutout to my beta brandi (xxPayne) i couldn't have done this without you!!  
> also a shoutout to the list i used for horror movies on here, the only list without scary pictures in it, [this one](https://www.thoughtco.com/best-worst-horror-movies-1873324)  
> i hope you enjoy reading this!

The sun was trying its hardest not to show itself. But what else was new in England. Harry picked at his ham sandwich and tried to listen to the videogame Liam was raving about.

It had been a month since Harry had moved to the new town and had attended this new school, and it hadn't even been a day before Liam had taken him under his wing. He was thankful; Liam was a nice guy, and not just in this  
weird metaphorical sense. He was proper nice, taking care of Harry and showing him around and, you know, being a friend to him.

"Wait, sorry, so it's called what?" Harry asked and finally took a bite of his sandwich. Liam smiled while opening his crisp bag.

"Firewatch," he answered, popping a crisp into his mouth, "It's proper good, really, we should play it."

"Is there, like, a two player mode?" Harry tried to indulge Liam because, quite honestly, he wasn't big on video games but he was very big on keeping Liam as his friend.

"No, one of us would have to watch while the other played the game or something," said Liam holding out his crisp bag, "Do you want one?"

"No, thank you," smiled Harry, putting his sandwich back on his plate, "But also, you could play and I could watch, then I might actually understand some of the conspiracy behind it." Liam laughed and took his crisp bag back,  
reaching in again. But just as Liam opened his mouth to talk again, across the room Louis Tomlinson started to laugh. And just like that the last of Harry's concentration was gone.

Because Harry was 18 and Louis Tomlinson was gorgeous and loud. Just sitting there, at his table, with a soggy sandwich in front of him, he looked ethereal.

His eyelashes cast a shadow on his sharp, high cheekbones. They looked like glass. Actually, all of Louis Tomlinson looked like it was made of glass. His eyes, sharp teeth, sharp nose, sharp lips. As if Harry would touch his face  
and he'd bleed out, but it still would be worth it. But then there’s the gentle curve of his waist, his biceps, his thighs— he looked like the masterpiece of a particularly talented artist.

And then, suddenly, as if he could feel Harry's eyes on him Louis Tomlinson turned his head and his sharp eyes looked right into Harry's. There was a gentle twist of a smile to his lips, but it still scared Harry. Cause, like, he was  
the new kid and he wasn't cool and definitely not worthy of friendly Louis Tomlinson smiles. Harry ducked his head to hide the pink in his cheeks.

"Is Louis Tomlinson looking at our table, Harry?" Liam's voice sounded slightly panicky and Harry felt a bit better about the heat in his cheeks but also, what was he supposed to say?

"Might be?"

"Why is that a question? He's looking at you and frowning!"

"He's frowning?" Harry heard the panic in his voice now too, "He was smiling a minute ago! Why are you lifting your arm— No! Do not wave, Liam, what the fuck?"

"Well, I was trying to be friendly," said Liam, the crunching of his crisp bag finally making Harry look up, "God knows what you did to make Louis Tomlinson frown."

"I didn't do anything, just kinda got caught up staring," Harry said, finally reaching out to take a crisp because, well, he needed cheering up in the form of fast food after Louis Tomlinson’s frowning.

"You can tell me after school,” Liam wrestled his crips bag out of Harry's grip and stood up, "Because we’ll meet up and play Firewatch."

Harry couldn't help but smile, looking at his friend. "Yeah, sure, I'll wait for you after and we'll go to yours?"

 

Liam turned away from his computer opened to the menu screen of Firewatch, to fix Harry with a look. More like a capital Look. Harry raised his eyebrow, his clammy fingers stuck to the front of his notebook. "Yes?"

"So, what was that about at lunch? Why was Louis Tomlinson looking at you?"

"Oh. Well I just got caught staring, I guess?"

"Why did you stare at Louis Tomlinson in the first place?" Liam turned his chair around all the way which meant that this was definitely a very serious conversation.

"Because I fancy him?" said Harry, feeling himself frown, "I mean, he's like the most beautiful boy in the whole school."

"Oh" Liam said, blushing, "You fancy him?"

"Yes! Don't you?"

"I mean!" Liam gripped his knees, the redness in his cheeks getting more intense by the second, "I guess a little?"

"Well, I get that, he looks like he's chiseled out of marble," Harry pried his fingers off of his notebook, "All of him. Perfectly shaped."

"How would you even know that?” Liam asked, still red, "Have you like ever seen him, you know, naked?"

"What? No!" now Harry was blushing as well because, fuck, he did not need to think about Louis Tomlinson naked while he was at Liam's, "I just guessed because of the skintight jeans and all that!"

Liam looked at his lap, his fingers still grasping his knees tightly, sighing. "I did see him once without a shirt,” said Liam, looking up again, "When I tried out for the footie team."

Harry couldn't stop the grin that took over his face. "Well?"

"Well,” Liam said, also grinning, "He’s proper fit."

"Who would have thought!" Harry laughed, his notebook sliding from his thighs down onto the floor, "But I need more description than proper fit."

"I didn't want to stare at him all obvious, like you do," Liam laughed, bending down to pick up Harry's notebook, "But like, he has a tiny waist. And he's so tan. That's all that I could one hundred percent check out."

Harry grinned full on, then took his notebook out of Liam's hands and slid more into the direction of Liam's laptop, putting the notebook down behind him on the bed. "Thank you for that super detailed half naked Louis  
Tomlinson review, Liam," he patted Liam's thigh, "Now show me this weird video game."

"It's not weird,” Liam mumbled, pressing the continue button on the menu, "It's super interesting and just ... there's so many plot twists."

"You're not gonna start a new game?" Harry leaned a bit forward to see the screen better, admiring the orange hues of the game.

"No, Harry, I played this for four hours, I'm not gonna restart, I just got to the good part,” Liam made himself run around in the park, that his video game character was supposed to watch over.

"Not even for me?" Harry pouted, fully aware that Liam was not going to turn around to look at him but, whatever, his pouting had magical powers and sometimes he swore that Liam could feel it even if he didn't see it.

"No, Harry, I literally told you the whole story at lunch,” Liam clicked around some more, "While you were busy lusting after Louis Tomlinson, so you do not deserve me restarting this."

"Excuse me Liam!" Harry leaned forward more, so that his curls touched Liam's shoulder and pouted more heavily, "We just decided that he was the most beautiful, you cannot fault me for looking!"

"Yes, I can and I will!" Liam looked at Harry, turning his head just a bit, "Also stop pouting, my attention needs to be on the game not you being pissy."

"I will forgive you if you'll go to the movies with me tomorrow,” said Harry, laying his head on Liam's shoulder, letting the pout slip. Liam laughed, the asshole.

"What, to one of your outrageously hideous slasher films? No thanks."

"They're horror films, not necessarily slashers, get your facts straight," Harry pressed his head more into Liam's shoulder, aiming for his jawline to cut into the sensitive flesh, because what the hell Liam.

"You did not deny the outrageously hideous part, so no thank you,” Liam raised the hand that was not clicking and petted Harry's curls.

"I will never forgive for you this, Liam," Harry let his eyes slip closed, stopping to press his head into Liam’s comfortable, comfortable shoulder. He concentrated on the gentle petting.

"I'll let you copy my maths homework, how about that?"

"Well, alright, you are forgiven, Liam Payne. But you still have to live with the knowledge that I'll be sitting alone in the cinema being scared to death, probably."

"Maybe, but you gotta live with sitting alone in a bad horror movie and actually enjoying it."

And, like, okay. Liam wasn't completely wrong.

 

Okay, so, it wasn’t that weird that the cinema was basically abandoned, but Harry still tried to seem like he was not about to go see _Birdemic: Shock and Terror_ in here. He tried to give a charming smile to the person who sold the tickets, but as soon as the person turned around Harry's smile became more honest.

"Oh no, look who's here!"

"You are aware that you're talking to yourself, Nick, right?" Harry slid his money over the counter.

"No, I'm not. You're listening, aren't you?" Nick said, taking the money and putting the ticket there instead.

"You didn't even ask what movie I'm here to see," Harry took the ticket and fiddled with it.

"Because I don't have to, young Harold," Nick leaned across the counter, a grin stretching his lips, "You've come here to see a stupidly bad horror movie for like a month now."

"Whatever, can I have popcorn please?"

Nick rolled his eyes but still got on to fill a small bag with the popcorn, adding lots of caramel for Harry's sake, because honesty, salty popcorn was straight from hell.

"There you go, weirdo," Nick held the bag out for Harry, "On the house because you bring in so much money."

"Thank you so much, Nick," Harry made grabby hands at the bag before he took it out of Nick's grip, throwing a last grin at his direction, "I better get in before the movie starts. Thanks again! Enjoy the rest of your shift!"

"Yeah, yeah," Nick waved in Harry's direction, obviously looking at his phone that was hidden beneath the counter. Harry showed his ticket before he ducked into the cinema, weaving through the rows until he found a seat he really liked. It wasn't like he had to actually sit in his assigned seat; it was a wonder if more than three people showed up to these movies.

Harry put his jacket and his backpack on the seat next to his, maneuvered the popcorn onto his lap before pulling his phone out of his pocket to send Liam a guilt-text and put it on silent. Right when he was ready to add the fifth crying emoji to his text someone sat down on the seat next to him that was not blocked by his belongings. Harry slowly blinked up from his bright phone screen to the person next to him and as soon as he registered who had sat down next to him he felt his soul leave his body.

He swallowed the first words he wanted to say, which were 'What the fuck' or similar things, you know, because next to him, his face illuminated by the weak cinema lights, was fucking Louis Tomlinson. All bronze and beautiful and obviously sitting in the wrong movie.

"Hey," Louis Tomlinson said. Harry stared at him. His mouth was open a little, but that was justified because he was in shock. It took Harry a small, but still too long, while to figure out that Louis Tomlinson had spoken to him.

"Oh! Um," Harry fiddled with the edge of his popcorn bag, feeling the sweat that started to build at the nape of his neck, "Hey, Louis Tomlinson."

Louis Tomlinson laughed. And it filled the whole room, it filled Harry's lungs and his head and also why was Louis Tomlinson laughing, did Harry already make an ass out of himself?

"I appreciate you showing me that you know my full name," Louis Tomlinson said, getting more comfortable in his seat, his blue eyes still focused on Harry, "But just Louis is fine."

"Right! Um, sorry, Louis," and just Louis nothing more, Harry felt like he was ascending into the heavens, because that was basically first base he just arrived on, first name basis with Louis not Tomlinson, "I'm Harry!"

"Yes, I know that," Louis raised an eyebrow, his fingertips rubbing over his jeans, "We do go to the same school and are in the same year."

"I mean, yes I know, but, like, I've only been here for a month?" okay, why did he formulate that like a question, it was a fact. Harry felt his cheeks heat up while Louis' eyebrow was still raised and he was still so beautiful and Harry's brain just couldn't properly function.

"Mhm mhm, I know that too," Louis stopped rubbing his fingertips over his thighs which Harry was very thankful for, because now he didn't have to stare at Louis' thighs while they were literally within reaching distance, "I also know that you haven't talked to me at all in this month."

"What," Harry squeaked, some of his popcorn falling out as he tried to sit up straighter, "You're like super popular and pretty and I'm awkward and new!" And like, it wasn't supposed to come out that truthfully. Louis' eyebrow got raised even higher and a small smile played on his lips.

"Popular and pretty," he said, grabbing one of the popcorns that had landed on Harry's seat next to his thigh to pop it in his mouth, "See, if I get these kind of compliments out of our talks then we should really talk more. Also, I think the movie is about to start, so hush."

Harry gaped at Louis a bit more before the lights actually dimmed and turned off and the screen started to flicker. He tried to get comfortable and looked at Louis again, finding the boy already looking at him, too. "You know that this is _Birdemic_ , right?" Harry asked, trying to fish an especially caramel-y popcorn out of his bag because _no way_ Louis was watching the right movie.

"Yes, I know," Louis smiled, his smart fingers snatching another popcorn out of Harry's bag, "Now, please, be silent while you watch the movie."

And silent Harry was. He watched the movie while he watched Louis out of the corner of his eye. He watched while the birds on screen made sounds like airplanes while whooshing through the air just as he watched how Louis couldn't hold small chuckles in, his smiling lips hidden behind hands. He watched Louis burying all of his face in his hands while an audio of applause looped for way too long. He watched eagles hover in the air without moving one muscle and he watched how Louis had hid his smile in his own shoulder that time, his hand full of popcorn. Harry himself couldn't hold back a laugh when the birds got fought off with hangers and he felt Louis leaning into him, his hand yet again hiding his mouth but his blue eyes focused on the screen, also laughing.

When the movie ended and the lights slowly turned back on Harry felt like another month had passed, a month in which he actually made Louis Tomlinson — oh no, actually, just Louis — like him and become his friend and watch horrible horror movies with him. As Harry crumbled the empty popcorn bag he risked a glance at Louis, who was already looking at him all serious like. Harry's heart jumped.

"Hey," Louis said, "There's dead people on the side of the road."

Harry couldn't keep the smile from slipping onto his lips, felt his dimple forming in his cheek. "Let's go see if there's any survivors," Harry completed the quote, feeling his heart jump even more when Louis answered with laughter, the serious expression slipping from his face.

"Oh my god, I love this movie so much," Louis got up, dusted the popcorn he'd taken from Harry's bag, that had not ended up in his mouth, from his clothes, "I think I've seen it three times before this time but it's still just as bad-that-it's-good-again as it was the first time I watched it."

Harry also got up from his seat, his gangly legs taking some time before finding leverage to stand. He pulled his jacket and backpack on, the popcorn bag still crumbled in his hand. "Yes, agreed," Harry followed Louis, as the other boy winded his way through the seats, "I've also seen it three times before this and just, it's a classic."

"It is, isn't it?" Louis said, stepping out of the cinema hall into the foyer, turning around and sweeping his fringe out of his eyes, "Do you wanna, like, get fries and discuss the deeper meaning behind prices of solar panels?"

"Oh," Harry felt his whole being freeze because did Louis actually wanna hang out with him, what the fuck, "I'd love to but, um, I actually have a curfew? And I'll just make it if I take the bus home now." And it's not that Harry had ever hated his curfew, it wasn't like his mum never made exceptions when Harry wanted to go to a party or whatever, but right now he hated it.

"Oh no, that's fine, sorry to spring plans on you just like that," Louis smiled at Harry all brilliant and radiant and everything Harry had ever dreamed of, "You go catch your bus and I'll go home as well, probably better for me to spend some time on homework and not fries."

"Or solar panels."

"Well, I mean, they're the future of this world," Louis argued, smiling even brighter, taking the empty popcorn bag out of Harry's hands, "But, yeah, whatever. See you tomorrow in school?"

"Oh, yes, I'm not gonna skip in my second month of attending this school," Harry said, gripping the strips of his backpack and throwing a nervous look towards the bus station opposite the cinema.

"Oh no, what a good boy you are," Louis smiled and Harry felt the pink creeping back in his cheeks, "But also, god, I'm gonna stop talking your ear off. Go catch your bus!"

"Okay, yes, thank you," Harry made a step forward, turned around, walked a few steps backwards which was basically an open invitation to disaster for him, "Bye, Louis."

"Bye, Harry," Louis was still smiling and waved until Harry turned around.

He nearly missed his bus, because just as he exited the cinema there it came, and Harry had to run so the bus driver would stop. When he sank into the questionably patterned seat of the bus he realised what just had happened.

He had just watched _Birdemic: Shock and Terro_ r with Louis Tomlinson and he was now on a first name basis with the prettiest boy he had ever seen in his whole life. Harry sunk a bit deeper, his head on his seat, eyes focused on the dull grey ceiling of the bus but like. He felt like he was flying. He had shared his popcorn with Louis and had laughed with Louis and had felt Louis body warmth and all this was teetering into weird territory. But, whatever, because Harry had just watched a horror movie with Louis! He couldn't stop the giddy smile that was taking over his features but he could stop himself from stomping his feet excitedly. Also, ha ha at Liam because not only had Harry not been alone in the movie, he had been in the movie with a happy, smiley, talking, first name basis Louis Tomlinson. So take that, Liam.

 

When Harry got to the school on Monday he felt refreshed and giddy and absolutely not ready to see Louis again. Because of course Louis had been nice to him, but nice is not on the same plane as 'I have a big fat crush on you' which definitely summed up Harry's feelings.

Harry closed his locker and leaned his forehead against it, trying to absorb the cool, but that was so unrealistic. And he was decidedly not cool when Liam tapped him on the shoulder and he banged his head on the locker. So not cool.

"So, I still can't believe you spent an evening with Louis Tomlinson on Friday," Liam said, smiling a little at Harry because he obviously felt bad for the level of lameness that Harry oozed.

"Well, you better," Harry gripped his books a little tighter and fought the urge to rub his forehead, "I did and it was amazing."

"How did he even know who you are?" Liam hoisted up his backpack, "Like you're new and not even close to his realm."

"His realm," Harry laughed, "Um, but I asked the exact same thing and he just said that we're in the same year and all, you know."

"He's just so popular and nice that he even knows the names of the geeky new kids, I guess," Liam bumped his shoulder into Harry's, "But even if Louis Tomlinson talked with you and watched shitty horror movies with you, we gotta get to English class."

"They're not shitty," Harry said, absolutely not rolling his eyes.

"They really are," Liam answered and starting to wander towards the right classroom.

"No, they're really not, Payno," a new voice answered, although not completely new, just new to this conversation. Harry felt how he immediately blushed, because he was not cool. Like, Louis hadn't even talked to him directly but just the sound of his voice made Harry's cheeks hot. His cheeks and everything else as well.

"Um, no, sure," Liam stared at Louis, who had kind of just appeared in the hallway right in front of Liam, his eyebrow raised and his best friend, Niall Horan, standing right behind him.

"No, they're absolute shit,” Niall said, earning an exaggerated gasp from Louis, "No, don't do this to me Louis, they're absolutely horrible."

"They're bad, but like, brilliantly bad," Harry said, deciding that, even if he was the most uncool person at this school, he couldn't let his favourite movies be slandered like that.

"Exactly!" Louis shrieked and punched Niall in the arm, "You have never even seen one, ‘cause you're too chicken, so shut up, Neil!"

"Yes, classy, call me Neil again," Niall ducked to avoid the next punch, "But also, we gotta get to class, Lou."

Lou, oh my god. Niall was even on a higher basis than Harry, not first name basis but nickname basis. Probably the highest basis there was. But also, these two were best friends and it was a pretty unrealistic goal to achieve the same basis as Niall Horan with Louis Tomlinson in like one day. Oh no, Harry had called Louis with his full name in his head again which, he didn't have to, because, hello, first name basis.

As Harry had overcome his little name crisis he noticed that three pairs of eyes were on him. He felt the blush in his cheek return with even more force. "Um, yes?"

"I asked if you wanted to, like, go to a movie with me this Friday?" Louis asked, and it was a trick of light, because it looked like Louis was blushing as well. Which just was impossible because Louis was cool and would not blush in front of Harry when he just asked him to hang out. Wait, this was just hang out right? Like, casual things nice popular people did for the new kid at school? It had to be, because Harry would probably combust if it meant anything but that.

"What movie?" Harry said and what a fucking stupid question. Most likely a horror movie and not a rom com, although Harry wouldn't be completely against that idea, but then again that was more of a date thing. Not a friendly bro thing, to watch rom coms together.

"I thought we'd go see _Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonste_ r", Louis said, "The important part here is that Spacemonster is all one word."

"That sounds," Harry took a deep breath, a smile overtaking his face, his dimple showing in the pink of his cheek, "Brilliantly bad."

Louis smiled back, the happiness overtaking his whole face and god he was practically glowing when he was smiling. But also, wasn't Louis always glowing. "Okay, wow, um, cool!" Louis said, being grabbed by Niall who kept mumbling about the math class they had to go to, "See you Friday, Harry."

 

Harry's only motivation throughout this week had been Friday. Friday and the definitely not-date with Louis to see a horror movie. Because it was _not_ a date, and he was seeing a movie with Louis. But as friends. Like, he was very sure about the fact that it was not a date but on the other hand it could be? But it really couldn't be, there was no way would Louis go on a date with Harry. They'd only really known each other for a week now, or more like talked to each other for a week. And they had actually talked quite a lot, on Tuesday Louis had invited both Harry and Liam to his table for lunch and that had kind of become a tradition, if you can call something that develops in a week a tradition, and they talked a lot during lunch. Somewhere around Wednesday, Louis and Harry had exchanged phone numbers, so on top of the lunch talks the text talks had happened.

And it was unbelievable how much more Harry liked Louis now. Louis was funny and smart and very sharp with his words. He always knew exactly what to say to turn situations where he wanted them and he really helped when anyone got awkward, because Louis just kept talking on. In all the sarcastic remarks and biting smiles was a hidden kindness, that was not even well hidden. He also used a lot of silly emojis which made Harry's heart grow about six sizes bigger.

And here he was, standing in front of the cinema, looking at Harry with a big grin on his face, two tickets already in his hands. "Sorry, I thought I'd already buy the tickets but then I felt silly waiting alone in the lounge," he said as a greeting and Harry tried to fight of the feeling that it was one hundred percent a date thing to buy two tickets, "But, hey."

"Hey, Louis," Harry said, taking the ticket that Louis held out for him, "Thanks so much for already getting these. How much do I owe you?"

"Um, nothing?" Louis chuckled, his eyebrows kinda crunched together, like he was confused. What should he be confused about? That Harry wanted to pay for his own ticket?

"Oh wow, thanks a lot," Harry said, looking down on his ticket again because he did make it awkward.

"Yeah, um, no problem," Louis mumbled, his fingers touching Harry's wrist, "Let's go inside, yeah? Buy some snacks?"

Harry nodded, not quite over the feeling of Louis' soft fingers on his arm, pulling like a magnet, like Harry wanted to fall into Louis completely. He followed the smaller boy into the lounge, smiling when he saw Nick, who, as always, was fiddling with his phone beneath the counter.

"Hello, Nick," Harry greeted, leaning on the counter and casting a sideway look to Louis, who had stopped a few steps behind Harry, his face hidden because he was looking down.

"Oh, well, hello Harold," Nick looked up from his phone, a smile on his lips, "What can I do for you?"

"Right, um," Harry turned around, meeting Louis' blue eyes, "What do you want to get, Louis?"

"Whatever you want," Louis answered, his face still scrunched up, but a kind twitch to his lips.

"Okay, so, very sweet popcorn and two cokes please," Harry said and Nick nodded immediately, getting to work.

"So, you're both here to watch this super trashy movie, then?" Nick asked and before Harry could answer, he felt Louis touching him on the small of his back and answering himself.

"Yeah," Louis said, Harry basically frozen to the spot. Because, um, back touching, that was — was that, like, friendly? Or was that a thing that was mostly reserved to romantic couples, because with the warmth of Louis' through his jacket and t-shirt he couldn't really remember.

"Cool, cool," Nick said, putting the popcorn and the two cokes down, the smile on his lips slightly different than before, directed at Louis, "It's on the house."

"I can pay for it," was Louis' response and it sounded very brittle and that was odd.

"Yeah, I believe that," Nick answered, still smiling, "But I wanna give it to your for free, so take it."

"Thank you, Nick," Harry said because Louis was not going to make this situation less awkward so uncool-Harry would have to make do. He took the popcorn and one coke and threw a desperate glance at Louis, so that he would pick up his coke as well.

"No problemo, Harold," Nick said, watching as Louis' hand left Harry's back and grabbed the coke, "Enjoy your movie."

"Enjoy your shift," Harry answered, steering away from the counter, Louis a solid presence at his side.

"You know him?" Louis asked, his fingers making little dents into the cup of his coke. Harry frowned, nodding.

"Yeah, he works every Friday, so I see him when I come here," Harry said, wanting to raise a hand to put on Louis' wrist to calm him but his hands were very full.

"Oh, okay," Louis said, taking a deep breath and smiling at Harry, full energy, completely disarming Harry and making him forget how odd the situation was, just a second ago, "Let's go in, yeah?"

"Yeah, um, definitely," Harry answered, following Louis into the right hall onto the same seats they had been in the week prior.

"Best seats," Louis said, sitting down and taking the popcorn from Harry, so that he could get comfortable on his seat and god, he was just the nicest. The nicest person overall with the nicest looking face.

"Thanks," Harry mumbled, taking the popcorn back. And this felt like such a déja-vu, except this time he knew that Louis sort of liked him and even if his heart was still basically beating in his mouth, he felt more comfortable.

"I've actually never seen this one," Louis said, his mouth catching the straw from his coke, sipping. And Harry desperately tried to ban the pictures from his mind but Louis' lips were pink, so pink, and looked soft and Harry had to answer before he would make a complete ass out of himself and got caught staring at Louis' lips.

"No, me neither," he replied, throwing a popcorn into his mouth, trying to melt with his seat, "But I think the title alone promises it's gonna be good."

"Yeah, I really hope so," Louis said, a light pink on his high cheekbones, "I really want tonight to be, you know, good."

"Yeah, sure?" and wasn't that a weird thing to answer with, Harry thought, "I bet it's gonna be a good movie and a good night."

"Even though you still have a curfew and we can't get fries," Louis said, the pink mostly disappeared, a blinding smile on his lips.

"Well, yeah," Harry said, "If you had told me you wanted to do a thing after this, I could've gotten out of it, for one night probably, just. My mom would not appreciate it if I did this all last-minute."

"Oh, no, that wasn’t, like, a critique or anything!" Louis put his hand yet again on Harry's wrist, the softest of touches, "But good to know. Next time I'll plan a dinner as a plus."

Harry could only nod stupidly and then, just like that, the movie started. And Louis' hand stayed where it was, slightly curled around Harry's wrist which made eating and drinking a little weird, but Harry didn't mind.

The movie was hilarious, it was so so bad and so good at the same time. Harry couldn't help laughing out loud and it just strengthened by Louis' giggles next to him. The scenery tended to change randomly between night and day and every time it happened Louis just send him a look and both of them couldn't hold back the giggles. When Louis was trying to stifle his laughter, his fingers tightened a little on Harry's wrist and just — It was such a perfect night. Not just good, perfect.

Louis looked radiant in the darkness, his features only highlighted by the pale light of the screen. His eyebrows perfectly arched, eyelashes sweeping with every blink and Harry was enamoured. Harry remember thinking how Louis looked like he was made out of glass and right now, it still held up. After getting to know him and seeing him try not to spew his coke out, he still seemed just as untouchable. Even though they were touching, his skin warm and not glass, Harry couldn't help but wonder how his features could be that beautiful, that fitting. The sharpness of it all, probably to protect himself.

Harry didn't even notice when the movie ended and the credits rolled, Louis turning around, his blue blue eyes filled with laughter and mischief and kindness.

"I can't believe the Spacemonster was basically a guy in a gorilla costume with a silly mask," Louis laughed, his hand tightening, "That was just the worst costuming I've ever seen, hands down."

"Yeah," Harry brought out, his throat feeling very dry.

Louis smile got softer, more tender. "Did you like it, though?" he asked, "Like, the whole night?"

"Um, yes, I did," Harry said, feeling captivated by the soft sweep of Louis' eyelashes and his raspy voice and his soft skin, all still tainted in the dark of the cinema.

He had to be concentrating too hard, because Harry could have sworn that Louis bit his lip and leaned forward, but. Only people who wanted to kiss other people did that and Louis did not want to kiss Harry because they were friends and this was not a date and Harry's brain short circuited and his right leg sort of kicked out because, oh my god, was Louis going to kiss him? The leg kinda caused for the half empty popcorn bag to go flying though and Harry went full body jerk and Louis leaned back. The moment, if there even was a moment at all, was over. Because of Harry's ridiculous limbs.

"Oh my god, oh no, sorry," Harry mumbled, his cheeks hot and he was so embarrassed he wound his wrist out of Louis' fingers, bowing down to collect the rest of the popcorn bag, too scared to look at Louis' face.

When he had collected most of the snack he looked up again, being met with a very red faced, very uncomfortable Louis who stared at his phone screen. Oh no, Harry had fucked it up. What if Louis hadn't tried to kiss him but because Harry had been so focused he had actually gotten nearer to Louis' face? Like, that was a possibility and one that was more probable than Louis wanting to kiss him. "Got it all, I think," Harry said, sitting up again, looking at Louis, trying to find out if he was pissed.

Louis looked up from his phone, cheeks red, and they definitely were, smiling timidly. "Oh, okay then, so, um," he put his phone back into his pocket, got up from his seat, "Do you want to go?"

"Yeah, sure," Harry answered, "Gotta catch my bus and all." His hands were clammy. It felt like his whole body was clammy though.

"Okay, cool, because my mum is picking me up and she's already up front so I'll just," Louis cleared his throat, "I'll just go?"

"Yes, oh, sure, um, you go," Harry said, also getting up, still holding the half-full popcorn bag, "Um, see you Monday?"

"Yes, of course," Louis said, fixing his fringe with the fingers that not so long ago had been touching Harry's wrist, "Text you when I come home though, if that's alright?"

"That's," Harry couldn't hold back the nervous laugh, "That's more than alright."

He got a genuine Louis' smile as an answer and that felt like a little win. "Okay, cool," Louis said, waving, already taking a couple steps back, "Bye, Harry."

And then he was gone and Harry couldn't even say bye back cause he felt like he had fucked it all up, just now. But Louis still wanted to text, which meant he probably still wanted to talk, which meant they were still friends. Although Harry was very sure that Louis would not keep being his friend if Harry kept thinking about him as an art masterpiece, hopelessly pining but. It wasn't like he could just stop that so, whatever. He would just make the best out of the situation, and the best here was very much being friends with Louis.

 

The weird thing was, they actually ended up being friends. Like, actually very good friends. Harry had never really clicked with someone as fast as he had with Louis. They liked the same movies, including rom-coms, and mostly the same music. Alright, not really, but they both liked The Fray.

It didn't really matter if they liked the same music anyway, because Harry liked Louis and he was really started to believe that Louis liked him back. It had been, what, a month since the awkward movie night, which definitely evolved into more non-awkward movie nights. Harry was about ninety-nine percent sure that Louis had forgiven him for it and he was so thankful. Because friendship with Louis was just so good, Harry felt like he really could be his weird self, which was proven yet again, right now.

Both of them sitting on Harry's bedroom floor - Harry with socks, Louis without - shuffling through pictures Harry had taken over years, all carefully put in a box. And although Louis usually was the messiest he touched each photo with caution, his fingers only leaving prints on the frames. A small smile had caught onto Louis lips, making his features look soft and pretty, perfectly matching up with the atmosphere of the nice October afternoon.

"These are so good," he said, putting a picture of some bellflowers down, looking up from beneath his eyelashes, making Harry sweat.

"Um, thank you, Louis," Harry said. He didn't really know what else to say, he had always felt very silly taking pictures and trying to make them look good, sort of artsy, and Louis was the first person other than his mom or sister that had seen those. And, like, Louis was being so nice about it and he was smiling like he was actually enjoying himself and Harry could swear his heart was growing too big for his chest.

"Did you also take some pictures of people?" Louis asked, making grabby hands at the pictures in the box that was put down in front of Harry's knees and Harry felt heat rise into his cheeks. Because, yeah he had, but those were on another level of artsy.

"Um, yeah, I have," Harry took the stack of photos out of the box when he had tried to do some sort of photoshoot with his sister, a few years ago, "But they're, like, um, I don't know. A little weird, I think."

"Well, I don't think so," Louis answered, taking the pictures out of Harry's hands, still smiling, his touch so soft.

"You haven't even seen them yet," argued Harry, putting his hands in lap, awaiting the judgement of Louis before him, whose eager eyes were set on the photographs, the smile still on his lips. The afternoon sun really did wonders for his bronze skin, making him seem like something more otherworldly than a human. Harry was sorta obsessed with Louis' eyebrows. They were, somehow, always arched. Louis was a master of moving them, showing exactly what he felt with just a twitch of them. And yeah, this was getting creepy again, but right in that moment Louis' eyebrows twitched and he raised his eyes, and Harry felt like his obsession was basically written on his forehead.

"See, I was right, they're so good," Louis said, putting the pictures gently back into the box, looking at Harry, smiling, "Not weird at all. I mean, maybe a little weird, but in exactly the right way. You really captured what you wanted to, I think? I'm not an art critic or anything, but I love them."

"Wow, um, thanks, I-" Harry stopped himself, blushing harder, because the appropriate answer was not 'I love you' and although he felt it on top of his tongue, he wouldn't say it.

"You?" Louis asked after what was probably considered an awkward silence and Harry felt a minor freak-out approaching but he had plenty of those in Louis' presence and usually was okay at fighting them off or just not letting them show.

"I don't really know what to say," Harry said, wringing his hands, "I didn't, like, I've never really shown them to anyone before? So I was, sorta, expecting bad reactions and you're being the kindest person on the planet right now, so, yeah."

Louis looked at Harry with big eyes, pink tinting his cheeks, making him look like a person again, being surprised by the words of his opposite, perfect eyebrows arched even more perfectly, little pink mouth about to open.

"Harry, I'm - I'm not the, what, the kindest person on the planet," Louis put his hands on Harry's jean clad knee, gentle and warm and comforting, "Like in no way, I'm just telling the truth and you're just, you're the sweetest person and the kindest person and you're so talented and great, and I'm gonna stop here." Louis chuckled, not moving his hand, his cheeks still pink.

"You can, you can go on complimenting me," Harry said, a silly grin stretching his lips, making the dimple carve into his cheek. Louis shook his head, and it was wild to think that Louis would be embarrassed by anything, especially complimenting Harry, but it was sweet.

"No, go on!" Harry laughed which earned him Louis setting the box of pictures aside gently before tackling him, both going to the floor fully.

"See what happens? If I say something nice, your head gets too big!" Louis screeched, trying to grab any part of Harry he could pinch, but Harry was fighting hard, writhing out of his grasp, and trying to get Louis to be on his back instead of him, "I take everything I said back!"

Harry got a hold of Louis' wrists, taking them to his chest and breathing heavily, while Louis tried to kick him, his lips forming a big smile, finally stilling on top Harry, looking down at him. And it hit Harry like a physical punch, how beautiful he was, sitting on top of Harry, smiling, happy, the sun behind him painting a halo behind his tousled hair and his eyebrows, as always, perfectly arched. It felt like all the air of the room had been sucked out, as if all the air was being breathed and consumed by Louis and that was what Harry wanted too, to be consumed by Louis.

"Do you," Harry said, trying to rip himself out of the trance he was in, "Wanna sleep over and watch horror movies with me on Saturday?"

The smile he got as a response was blinding, Louis turning his wrist in Harry's hold. "Yeah."

 

And Saturday came earlier than Harry anticipated, although weekdays usually worked the same way every time. He was still nervously fluffing up the pillows on his bed, completely ignoring the fact that Louis had been in his room, like, hundreds of times. Well, okay, not hundreds but enough times to know what Harry's room would look like if Harry put extra effort into making it look good.

But the thing was that the physical feeling of not getting enough air when he was seeing Louis hadn't really left him since showing him his pictures, and everytime Louis smiled at him his heart beat even more wildly than usual. Which had to do with the fact that on top of Louis being beautiful and nice, Harry started to actually see him for the person he was and not some godly popular kid that roamed his school. He was Louis, not Louis Tomlinson, anymore.

The door to his room opened and Harry let the pillow he was holding fall onto his bed.

"Harold! I have arrived!" Louis shouted seconds before he hopped onto Harry's back, Harry's hands automatically grabbing his thighs to stabilize him. Louis throwing his arms around Harry's neck, his nose pressed into dark curls, giggling.

"Hey," said Harry, breathless, feeling the tug in his lungs again, a smile on his lips.

"Hey," answered Louis, tightening his grip before falling gently onto his feet, turning Harry around and smiling brightly, "What movie have you prepared for me? More importantly, what snacks have you prepared for me?"

"I've got a few movies, you have to choose," answered Harry, smiling just as enthusiastically at Louis as the other boy did, "And I made fajitas."

"Oh my god, Harry," Louis pretended to swoon, catching himself in the last minute and making Harry laugh, "A man after my own heart." And, like, what else could Harry do but blush?

"Well, are you hungry?" asked Harry, rubbing his palms together to get rid of the nervous energy that thrummed through his body.

"I do," Louis answered, "Lead the way to the fajitas, please."

And that Harry did. He tried not to openly stare at Louis, while he was eating the food Harry had prepared for him. But even when he was stuffing his mouth to the brim he still seemed beautiful to Harry. And that was really cheesy and Harry couldn't get over the fact, that he had been making heart eyes at Louis while some peppers had fallen out of his mouth, not even when they were already sitting next to each other on Harry's bed, Harry watching Louis basically arguing with himself what movie they should watch. Louis was trying hard to decide between the final two, that's what he was calling them, _Troll 2_ and _Shark Attack 3: Megalodon_. He seemed so alive, his hands and eyebrows punctuating everything he said, seemingly making the air around him move. All the times before, Louis had felt too far away and untouchable, and in this moment he felt more human than ever, his face a little blotchy and his breath smelling like fajitas, a bag of crisps next to his legs. He was staring at the laptop screen, the cursor set on _Troll 2_ and possibly even deciding the movie already, but Louis was still busy making points for _Shark Attack 3: Megalodon_.

And he was so beautiful, glowing with the weird passion he had for bad horror movies, the lamp on Harry's bedside table which usually casts an ugly light, making the light around Louis still seem pretty but. That was what Louis did, making all the things look prettier to Harry and oh god he was getting so cheesy again. Harry also realised just in that moment, that Louis had started nodding to himself and then declared the movie they were gonna watch would be _Troll 2_. They weren't even through fifteen minutes of it, when Louis started talking.

"Still a mystery to me why this is called _Troll 2_ ," Louis said, putting some crisps into his mouth, "I mean, this movie is literally about goblins."

"I know," Harry answered, pressing his left hand stronger against his bed, trying to not make himself do something silly like reach out for Louis. Louis turned his head to Harry, rubbing some crumbs from his mouth, smiling tightly. His eyes were guarded, somehow, and Harry didn't like that.

"What's wrong?" he asked, raising the hand he had been pressing against his sheets but stopping himself still to touch Louis, the boy next to him slowly losing the guarded expression.

"Um, remember when we went to watch _Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster_?" Louis asked, and Harry could feel his mouth go dry and he swore his heart stopped beating for a moment.

"What? I mean, yeah I do, but, um, why? Like, why are you asking?" he asked, pressing his hand back to the bed again, trying to ignore someone in the movie trying to force-feed green goo to one of the family members.

"Just, when, um, when you dropped the popcorn, yeah?" Louis voice had gone down in volume which was so weird and obviously this was the point at which their friendship stopped because Harry had been to obvious with his crush and Louis just had wanted to cash in some homemade fajitas before delivering the final blow and - yeah, no, Louis would never do this which made the whole situation so much weirder. Harry was probably beat red at this point but the sensation he felt most was his dry mouth.

"Yeah," Harry answered, his voice even quieter than Louis'.

"Why did you, like, drop it?" Louis asked, seemingly holding his breath which was ironic to Harry.

"I, um, I guess, I got startled," said Harry, his heart beating faster with every word that left his too dry mouth.

"You startled," Louis answered, rubbing his hand over the corner of his mouth, as if there were still crumbs from the crisps left there, "Yeah, I mean, I thought that you did, I just thought that, like, maybe, it was something different, but, um, okay."

Harry didn't even know what to say, just stared at the corner of Louis' mouth he had been rubbing just a second ago, and if he could go any redder he would, because now he was consumed with the need to just, brush it. With his fingers or his own mouth. Louis' lips were thin and so so pink, and they hid clever words and just were beautiful and sharp like the rest of him.

"Harry," said Louis, touching Harry's hand and Harry looked up from his mouth to Louis' eyes, "You're giving me a really hard time here."

"What," croaked Harry, not really catching up to the conversation cause his head was still filled with Louis' lips, now filled with the warmth and softness of his touch, the gentle way his fingers lay on top of the back of Harry's hand.

"Just, like, you startled, right?" and Harry nodded as an answer to Louis' question, "But now you're, um, staring at my lips and I'm just, like, confused, I guess? Because, you know that I, um, that I tried to kiss you after _Frankenstein Meets the Spacemonster_ , right?"

"What," was the only thing Harry could say and he was repeating himself and probably seemed really clueless, but that was because he was super clueless, because, what. Louis had tried to do what? And Louis laughed, but it sounded nervous and self deprecating, so different to how Louis usually laughed around Harry, his fingers tightening on Harry's hand.

"Yes, um, I tried to kiss you, what other reason could there be for you to startle?" Louis asked, looking so nervous and so pink.

"I thought that, like, I was trying to kiss you, subconsciously?" yes, that was a question because Harry was starting to doubt the whole entire universe at this point, "Because no way could you, like, like me?"

Now it was Louis' turn to say what. "What," he said, crunching his brows and his smile looking more sincere by the second, "Why would you subconsciously try to kiss me?"

And this moment was super important, because there was to ways this could play out and one was very great and the other one was way less great. But the thing was, yes, that Louis had said he had tried to kiss Harry. So what were the chances of him lying just to hear Harry tell him that he liked him? Super low chances. Basically non-existent. So, like, the decision was already made.

"Because I like you," Harry said and it felt so good to get that off his chest and also terrifying. What was not scary was the smile Louis smiled, brighter than any smile Harry had seen on him before. And then Louis pulled on Harry's hand, taking it between both of his hands, smiling just as bright, just holding Harry's hand like this.

"What the hell, Harry," Louis laughed, holding Harry's hand tighter, "I thought you just, what, wanted to be friends and were so weirded out by me trying to kiss you! I was so worried and now, turns out, you just thought I didn't like you?"

"Well, how was I supposed to know!" Harry said, sliding closer to Louis so that their thighs were touching.

"Because I invited you to a date?" Louis started to sound a little hysteric, but in a very good way, "Wait, wait! So you also thought the whole movie thing was not a date?"

"I tried to talk myself out of the idea that it was a date!" answered Harry, laughing, "I mean, I convinced myself."

"Well, it was a date," Louis said, raising their hands to his mouth, his next words a little muffled, "It was a date, I tried to kiss you and I like you back, Harry Styles."

"Okay," Harry said, smiling so wide it kinda hurt, "But just Harry is fine."

Louis laughed, pressing a kiss to Harry's hand, and then pulling him in, hugging him so tightly the breath kinda got stolen out of Harry's lungs but Harry was so, so okay with that. He buried his nose in the place where Louis' neck met his shoulder and just breathed in, got filled with Louis scent which was warm and nice and soft, just like the rest of him. Louis' collarbone was sorta of digging into Harry's shoulder but that was also okay, kind of confirming the whole glass theory Harry had had about him. All stinging and sharp yet all soft and good. Harry's hand that wasn't awkwardly pressed to his chest and still in a death grip of one of Louis' hands laid itself on Louis' waist, feeling the gentle curve.

"You're unreal," whispered Harry into Louis' neck and Louis laughed, sitting back a bit again, still holding Harry's hand, still with Harry's other hand on his waist.

"No I'm not," Louis said, "You are."

And Harry would have protested but Louis leaned forward and kissed him, like he had probably planned to do when they had watched this stupidly brilliant horror movie together. And Louis lips were so soft and gentle not sharp at all, like Harry had thought that one time when Louis had seemed to be on another level of existence, they were human and warm and a little chapped and not made of glass at all. Harry cautiously kissed back, moving his lips the best way he could, and he felt Louis move under his hand, Louis leaning forward again, his hand burying itself into Harry's curls and angling his head. And Harry could have never imagined how good of a feeling it would be to be kissed by Louis fucking Tomlinson, just Louis to him, how soft and sure he'd feel under his hands and under his lips, how responsive he'd be and his face when they'd separate, all open and happy and glowing, more beautiful than he'd ever seen before. And how good it would feel to actually, finally, breathe the air out of Louis' lungs, to be consumed by him.

 

They decided they would go on their first date, well the first one they both were aware of it actually being a date, the next week, on the Saturday.

Harry was nervous, and he was allowed to, because he was about to go on a date with Louis. But it was also a little silly because he knew that Louis liked him back, knew how Louis' lips felt under his own, knew Louis' heartbeat. Still, Harry was nervous, because Harry was a dork with a crush. When the door of Louis' house opened and he stumbled out in the cold October air, his cheeks red and his mom patting him on the back and handing him some flowers, Harry realised that Louis was also a dork with a crush. And he probably hadn't even decided on the flowers himself.

Harry took his hands back from the warm air that came out of the car he had been allowed to borrow for the date and unlocked the doors. Louis pecked his mum on the cheek before he, very gracefully, trotted to the car and opened the door.

"Hey, Harry," Louis greeted him, thrusting the flowers in his waiting warm hands, a blush high on his cheeks, as he strapped himself into the seat.

"Hey," Harry answered, "Are these for me or am I just supposed to hold them until you get ready?"

"Yeah, just hold them for a sec, I got them for Clarice, the girl who works for the drive-in theatre at the ticket stand!"

"Oh man, and I was getting worried you were gonna be mad about the flowers I got Nick the other night," Harry said, laughing as Louis took the flowers back, tongue out.

"Well, fuck off, Harry," he said, obviously fake pouting and turning away, a smile trying to break free.

"Baby," Harry said, tugging on Louis' sleeve, "You know I would only ever give flowers to you." Louis turned towards Harry again, a big grin on his face, the blush still there, he held the flowers out for Harry.

"Well, good thing those are for you then," Louis said, "But only 'cause you just called me 'baby'."

"Thank you, Louis, they're beautiful and I love them," Harry softly took the flowers out of Louis' hands, a gentle smile on his lips, and god, he did love them. Loved that he could press them and keep them and think about the silly first date he had with Louis.

"I chose them but I asked my mum if they were the right choice," explained Louis, a little flustered, his small hands in front of the vents, trying to get warmed up.

"Well, they were," Harry answered, laying them on his lap and starting the car, "Thank you, again." He was a little surprised that Louis had chosen them himself, but very pleasantly surprised.

During the drive the radio was playing very softly, Louis trying to keep himself from humming along, throwing side way glances to Harry. Shortly before they arrived at the drive-in theatre, Louis laid his hand on Harry's thigh, and Harry could see out of the corner of his eye that he was smiling shyly.

"So, I mean, I brought flowers and all, but you know that this is gonna be a date, right?" he asked, still smiling.

"Haha, Louis," said Harry, coming to a halt next to the ticket stand, smiling openly at the girl who stood behind it, "I would like two tickets, one for me and one for my date." The girl blushed while she printed the tickets, Louis laughed next to him, his hand still warm on Harry's thigh. Harry took the tickets after paying the girl, Louis grabbing them almost immediately out of Harry's hand.

"Find us a good spot, please," Louis said, the tickets secured between his thighs, drumming his fingertips against the glass of the door window. And Harry did, obviously, because how could he not if Louis had asked him for it.

They settled in the car, loosening their seatbelts and Harry grabbed the snacks he had brought from the backseat, throwing the Haribos into Louis' lap, ignoring his affronted screech, and then taking the Daim Chocolate and keeping it in his own hands.

"How is it that you get the chocolate and I get the Haribos?" Louis asked, already ripping the bag open, smiling brightly, breathtakingly.

"Because you like them the best?" Harry answered, opening his chocolate also, putting it on the dashboard of his car, leaning back in his seat.

"Yeah, you're right," Louis answered, already popping one of the heart shaped gummies into his mouth, smiling wildly around chewing and grabbing Harry's hand, all casual like. Harry felt his cheeks heat up, felt his hand starting to sweat. Louis just pressed his hand a little tighter.

"I can't believe they're showing _Manos: Hands of Fate_ here," Louis said, his thumb rubbing circles over Harry's hand, making his heart beat faster, "I mean, it's a classic no doubt, but, like, it's so bad."

"Bad but good," Harry answered, gripping Louis hand, trying to absorb him, keep him with him forever in his hand.

"Yeah, that's true," Louis said, smiling, his eyes hidden under his fringe, his free hand in the Haribo bag again, "I'm glad they're showing it though, that way we can watch it and snog during. Classic first date."

"Yeah, that was my plan," said Harry, grinning at Louis and just. He hadn't ever thought this could happen. Him sitting in a car with Louis, holding hands, eating sweets and watching a bad horror movie and feeling all around good. It was weird to think about how not so long ago Louis had seemed unattainable, otherworldly and now here he was, stuffing his face with heart shaped Haribos, a soft smile lighting up his features, a few strands of his fringe hanging in his eyes and just as much of a dork as Harry, possibly.

Harry had never in his life spent that little time actually paying attention to a movie as he did when he saw _Manos: The Hands of Fate_ with Louis, but he definitely was more familiar with Louis' soft, thin, pink lips after the movie. How they moved and felt, how Louis gripped his shoulders tight, tight, tight, how his nose rubbed against Harry's. How Harry's hands fit so perfectly in the dip of Louis' waist, how Louis' breathing got heavier when his hands strayed downwards, towards his legs, his hips. How Harry never wanted this to end, how he thought Louis didn't want it either, private smile on his lips every time they separated, eyes all big and sparkling.

 

Harry's mom had planned going away with his step dad for months, so when Harry had remembered this, he invited Louis over for the weekend; with the approval of his mom, obviously. He had planned to make Spaghetti Napoli for dinner, maybe some dessert to impress Louis and then cuddle with him in his bed and watch some _Die Hard Dracula_. He had not planned nor expected to be lying in his bed, under Louis Tomlinson, making out with him and trying to hide his boner. Or, like, he couldn't really try, with Louis straddling his lap and basically rubbing his ass over Harry's boner.

"Wait," he gasped, and Louis did, his lips wandering to Harry's neck, pecking kisses down the length of it, making Harry forget what he wanted to say in the first place. Harry was red in his face, partly because he was embarrassed, partly because he was hot. Really hot, actually, his sweater was starting to stick to his skin and so did his skinny jeans. "Can I take my shirt off?" Harry asked, breathless.

Louis stopped kissing his neck, breathed laughter against it before sitting up, brilliant smile on his pink, swollen lips. "Um, yes?" he laughed, smart fingers already gripping the edge of Harry's sweater, pulling it up, up, over his tummy and his nipples until Harry lifted his arms and was freed, finally. His blush was down to his chest, Louis stroking it, smiling, biting on his lip. His fingers strayed, down down, until he gripped Harry's love handles and Harry had to laugh because, god, would these ever vanish?

Louis looked at him, blue eyes sparkling, his fingers pressing deeper into the flesh and Harry had to catch his breath, mouth opened around a sound he didn't want to make them. "You're beautiful," Louis said, his fingers digging deeper, trying to get the sound that Harry was trying not to make.

"Thank you," Harry said, definitely said, definitely not moaned. Louis laughed, leaning down, pecking Harry's lips before stripping himself out of his sweater, miles and miles of sun kissed skin exposed for Harry. His hands looked so pale against Louis’ tummy, his long finger spanning over his waist, his thumbs rubbing circles into his ribcage, hands skipping over Louis’ pink nipples, Louis’ breath hitching. Harry wasn't even aware of touching Louis, he just had to with all this skin for him to touch.

"Is this okay?" Harry asked, all awed, eyes big, mouth open. Louis nodded, a blush high on his cheeks. Harry's hands smoothed over his collarbones, just as sharp as he knew them to be, smoothed over the slope of his shoulders, down his arms, back to his waist. Louis was unreal and real at the same time, hot flesh under Harry's hands, but he still seemed too beautiful to exist in the pale light of his bedroom. Now his hands wandered down, stopped at the curve of his hips, touched his thighs, still in denim, and Louis whimpered. Harry's eyes shot up, looked in Louis' face. Louis was biting his lip, his eyes wide, pupils wide.

"Yeah, you can - you can keep doing that," he said, all in a whisper, very unlike of the louder than the world Louis. But he still seemed loud to Harry, Harry who gripped his thighs a little harder, Harry who couldn't keep the awe out of his face as Louis made another sound, desperate and deep in his throat. He rubbed over Lous thighs, one, two, three times, up and down, his hands feeling the rough material under his palms.

"Can you," Louis said, capturing Harry's attention, looking all wrecked, "Can you take them off?"

"Your jeans?" Harry asked, long fingers already opening the button, tugging on the zip.

"Yeah, yes," Louis said, rising up, letting Harry tug the skinny jeans down to his knees, lied down, letting Harry tug them off the rest of the way.

And then, there he lay, on Harry's bed, hair all tousled, lips pink and bitten, blush high on his cheek, only wearing black briefs that were tented obscenely by his dick, all there for Harry. And he still looked so much like made out of glass, sharp and bowed perfectly, his eyes blinking up at Harry, arms stretched out, tugging Harry on top of him. Their tummies rubbed together and Harry had to hide his face in Louis' neck, breathing heavily. Louis kissed everything he could reach, his ear, his hair. Harry placed a kiss on the skin that stretched before him, sucked it in between his teeth, heard Louis moan, felt him grip at Harry's shoulders and his thighs shake.

"Oh god, Harry," Louis said, grabbing Harry's jaw, making Harry look at him, all open beneath him, "How could you ever think I didn't like you?" Harry ducked his head, feeling overwhelmed, because, well, Louis still seemed larger than life, cooler than Harry.

"No, hey," Louis framed Harry's face again, making him look into Louis' eyes, "You're so great and wonderful and beautiful, and I'm like - whatever, of course I like you. You're all smart and so gentle with your words and so creative, I mean, I wish I could see the world out of your eyes. And if you, like, if you think I'm so good and beautiful in your eyes then just know that I see you greater, probably."

"Louis," Harry said, his eyes falling down to Louis' lips, dipping down to kiss him, his curls touching Louis face, his tummy, chest all touching Louis, and he felt so close to him and like his heart was glass melting out of his ribcage right into Louis. He just wished Louis could feel it, how much Harry liked him, how much he was willing to give to the boy lying underneath him.

"Don't know what to say, huh," Louis said, gasped, when their lips disconnected, a smile on his puffy, pink, pink lips.

"No," Harry said, and that was a lie, he knew what he wanted to say but wasn't sure if that was what he felt, if it was what Louis wanted to hear, so he just kissed and touched, tried to show Louis how much he was worth to him with his mouth and fingers, soft and gentle on Louis' skin, as not to break the glass, as not to cut himself on it.

 

Louis had completely disappeared under Harry's arm, face turned into his neck, lips touching but not kissing his skin, eyelashes fluttering every thirty seconds or so. Harry tried to concentrate on _Plan 9 from Outer Space_ still, watching the UFO's being dangled from very obvious strings, but his boyfriend kept distracting him. Little hands curled into his sides, fingers gripping lightly at his love handles.

"Are you trying to distract from this masterpiece of a movie, Louis?" Harry asked, felt his voice vibrate against his ribcage, Louis shoulder leaned against it. Louis laughed, breath catching on Harry's neck.

"Maybe," Louis said, lips moving against Harry's neck, making Harry shiver, making him grip Louis' hips tighter, drawing him in more.

"Why are you doing that?" Harry asked, trying not to grip tighter, to hear Louis' breath hitch, because this right here, cuddling and watching bad horror movies was so good, a warm feeling settling in Harry's stomach, making him all around feel well.

"There's something," Louis said, raising his head, looking at Harry, eyelashes touching Harry's cheeks, his dimple as his lips stretched out to a smile upon seeing his boyfriend's face, "I should tell you."

"What's that, then?" Harry asked, hands rubbing circles into Louis hips, making him squirm and sit a little upright.

"You gotta pay attention to me and not the movie," Louis said, taking both of Harry's hands, his eyebrows all serious, only a little arch to them.

"Alright," Harry said, sitting upright as well, fingers gripping fingers. His face fully turned to Louis, the screen of his laptop only flickering in the background.

"Okay, here goes," Louis said, gripping Harry's fingers tighter, obviously nervous.

But he didn't say anything. The silence stretched between them, a dimple still in Harry's cheek as he looked at his boyfriend who was blushing and squirming and blinking heavily. Just as Harry wanted to laugh, wanted to ask Louis what was going on, he said it, took a deep breath and just said it.

"I'm in love with you, Harry."

Harry felt his lips fall open, felt the blush rising high in his cheeks, felt how much Louis gripped his hands. Louis looked at him, blue eyes liquid like fire, eyebrows arched now, in questioning and in fear.

"Oh, okay, um," Harry said, feeling Louis fall into himself before his eyes, "Yes! Like, don't cry Louis, yes, me too. I'm in love with you too!"

Louis straightened his shoulders again, lifting their joined hands up to his mouth, kissing Harry's knuckles before separating their hands and hitting Harry in the shoulder, tackling him while Harry laughed and squealed.

"What the hell, Louis!" Harry cried out, trying not to get pinched, but Louis’ clever fingers found the swell of his tummy, pinching hard, "Ow!"

"How could you make me believe, for like a second, that you didn't love me back? Oh my god, Harry!" Louis laughed, letting his fingers slip from the skin he had caught between them, peppering kisses all over Harry's face, "This was the whole kiss thing all over again!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Harry laughed, breathless, arms circling Louis and a big, fat grin plastered on his face, "I love you, so much. I'm sorry."

The sun was setting, orange shining through Harry's window, forming a halo around Louis, making him seem so much more saturated than the world around him, lips stretched over white, sharp teeth, eyes sharp, eyebrows arched and sharp little fingers pressed into Harry's skin, and God, did he love him. Louis eyelashes fanned over his cheekbones with every blink, his skin like molten caramel, his shirt slipped to the side and exposing part of his shoulder and he was just so so beautiful and he loved Harry. And like, looking back, moving to a new city and starting a new school wasn't all so bad if he got to hold Louis and have him look at him like this, all open and loving and awing, like he couldn't quite believe Harry loved him, as well.

"I'm so glad you came here," Louis said, hushed, like confession, fingers digging deeper into Harry, as if he never wanted to let go and Harry wanted him to hold on forever, take Harry everywhere he went.

"I love you," Harry answered, because it seemed valid and important to say it as much as he could.

"I love you," Louis said and Harry was so so, content.


End file.
